From the beginning the Church and the United States of America have had an intertwined yet complicated relationship. The first bishop in what would be the Episcopal Church, Samuel Seabury, was also a mapmaker and chaplain for the redcoat (British) troops. Framers of the U.S. Constitution and drafters of the Canons of the Episcopal Church met in the same place to develop the laws that govern these bodies. Even the celebration of Independence Day was stopped in the Church from the late 1700s until 1928 because so many clergy in the Episcopal faith were from Great Britain, and it was hurtful for them to celebrate their defeat in the Revolutionary War. With all of these ties understanding how Church and State relate seems like a difficult task. However, on this Independence Day I wonder how we might be good American Christians?
Turning to Scripture assigned to Independence Day in the Lectionary gives us some hints as to how we might have allegiance to God and allegiance to country. Deuteronomy, a book filled with law that assisted the Israelites to be a nation dedicated to God states:
"The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the LORD your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen" (10:17-21).
To the Israelites to be dedicated to God and Nation meant welcoming in orphan, widow, and stranger, providing them food and clothing. This connected back to when they were strangers in Egypt, being held captive. They remembered this hardship, so to remind them that life was not so easy as slaves. God delivered them, so if they are to be a nation dedicated to God, they can help others who need sustenance, shelter, and support. When my ancestors first came to the United States of America it was seven generations ago, and they needed support from ones who came before them. They turned to the Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL and they found care. So one way to be a good Christian in America means that we provide support for those in need who feel like a stranger in this place.
Turning to Matthew's gospel we find more direction on what it might mean for us to be good American Christians. Matthew 5:43-48 states:
"Jesus said, 'You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.'"
I have had the chance to travel abroad a few times on mission trips, and the first item I pack for the journey is my United States of America passport. Without it I could not travel into another country, nor could I get home. Recently I was introduced to the idea that we have another passport too. We have a passport as a citizen in the Kingdom of God. This passport might be more important on that packing list. It might also be one that requires more work than being a citizen in the USA. In this passage from Matthew, Jesus lays out one requirement of this Kingdom living. We are asked to love our enemies. Many times in my own life I am very bad at this. I see someone who looks different than me, talks different than me, cheers for a different team than I do, and immediately I shut them out. As citizens of the USA we tend to believe that we are the best, but our task as citizens of the Kingdom of God is to love our neighbor and our enemy. To treat all we meet as if they are Jesus himself.
This is not easy work. We will probably not get it right all of the time, yet we have each other and we have God to support us in living perfectly as our heavenly Father. Our challenge this Independence Day is to hold fast to our dual citizenship as both Americans and Christians.
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